Following the launch of The Causeway Collection to worldwide acclaim last year, Bushmills Irish Whiskey is set to make waves again with its new series of exclusive and elusive Causeway Collection releases for 2021.

 The ground-breaking Causeway Collection is a selection of extremely rare and unique aged and cask finished Irish single malt whiskeys from The Old Bushmills Distillery – the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery. 

 This year’s collection features twelve new releases to be launched worldwide across eight markets, and includes two bottlings exclusively released for the island of Ireland, the 2011 Sauternes Cask, a first for Bushmills Irish Whiskey, and a 1995 Marsala Cask aged in rare Marsala casks for an unprecedented 15 years. The 2011 Sauternes Cask was first aged for over seven years in oloroso sherry butts and bourbon barrels and then in rare Sauternes wine casks for two years. The French casks that have housed this sweet white wine from the Sauternais region of Bordeaux bring an abundance of delicate summer fruit flavours and fresh grapes.

The 1995 Marsala Cask has matured for over 10 years in oloroso sherry butts and bourbon barrels, before being aged in rare Marsala casks sourced from the island of Sicily for 15 years. Having been soaked deeply into the oak grain, this dark sweet Italian wine imparts succulent spiced fruit notes and a brown sugar sweetness.

A stone’s throw from the distillery, the Giant’s Causeway has been a source of inspiration to Bushmills’ master distillers for centuries. An elemental and enigmatic place of wonder, legend and geology, it extraordinary hexagonal basalt columns, shaped over millennia, form a unique interlocking series of steps found nowhere else in the world.  Like the columns, Bushmills Causeway Collection is forged in salt-laden air and mineral-rich water.  It is the legacy of giants before and giants to come, with each layer building on the last.

Colum Egan, Bushmills Master Distiller, said: “All the whiskeys used in The Causeway Collection have been expertly crafted and cared for in a unique whiskey-making tradition passed from generation to generation for more than 400 years here at The Old Bushmills Distillery.

“The Causeway Collection celebrates our extremely rare and unique cask finishes, our passion for single malts and honours our rich heritage. It’s a privilege to work with such rare liquid, these special cask-finished whiskeys really are our greatest treasures.

“Both the 2011 Sauternes Cask and the 1995 Marsala Casks are sensational whiskeys that stand with the best of Irish single malts, giants in their own right. We are delighted to bring these exclusive releases to ourfans across the island of Ireland.”

To celebrate this special release, Bushmills Irish Whiskey has collaborated with three renowned Irish artists to craft a short film that brings together words, music and images to reflect the home of the Causeway Collection. Irish spoken word artist, Stephen James Smith, has used his poetry to bring to life the story of Bushmills accompanied by photography from Ruth Medjber and music by Kormac.

The film, inspired by the heritage and craft of Bushmills Irish Whiskey, celebrates connections between people, the whiskey and the land, as well as the creative connections that happen when we come together.

These rare whiskeys will be on sale online from 4pm on 23rd September and also via select specialist retailers from 24th September.

Only limited bottles of the 2011 Sauternes Cask are available, bottled at 56.3% ABV, non-chill-filtered and priced at €110/£95 for 700ml.

Only limited bottles of the 1995 Masala Cask are available, bottled at 57.8% ABV, non-chill-filtered and priced at €410/£380 for 700ml. 

Jawbox Gin is now available in Australia after the brand gained a listing with renowned drinks retailer Dan Murphy’s. 

Developed in Belfast, the Jawbox Distillery is located on a 300-acre 16th century estate where the grain for the spirit is grown and harvested.

Jawbox Small Batch Gin is triple-distilled very slowly in traditional copper pot stills and in small batches using a unique combination of 11 carefully selected botanicals. Most of these are ‘steep and boil’ and the final three botanicals are put through the vapour extraction method to preserve their delicate flavour and aroma. 

On the nose, Jawbox is an impressive experience of bold juniper and pine, balanced with a gentle touch of sweet coriander and clean citrus. On the palate, it becomes more complex with citrus and juniper developing into peppery, earthy Angelica root. The finish is citrus, lingering juniper and pine. 

Jawbox Small Batch Gin can be purchased online via Dan Murphy’s website as well as in-store.

The award-winning Jawbox Small Batch Gin is distributed by Kirker Greer Spirits. John Soden CCO of Kirker Greer Spirits said: “Jawbox has been an extremely popular brand in our portfolio since its launch in 2016, with high demand across the UK and Europe and we are delighted to see it gain further momentum globally. We look forward to working with the team at Dan Murphy’s to accelerate the growth of Jawbox in Australia.”

Products from every corner of Northern Ireland’s natural landscape feature on this year’s list of Great Taste award-winners, which was announced on Tuesday 21 September 2021. Out of the 5,383 products worldwide to receive a Great Taste 1-, 2- or 3-star accolade from the largest and most trusted food and drink awards on the planet, 176 are based in Northern Ireland and these include Food NI members Craigavon-based Hannan Meats for its Great Taste 3-star award-winning Sugar Pit Bacon Rack, a French trimmed pork loin traditionally hand cured and sweetened with a blend of three sugars and Great Taste 3-star Millbay Oysters from Rooney Fish in Newry, Down.  

Following 86 socially-distanced judging days in London and Dorset, Great Taste, which values taste above all else, has unearthed the very finest food and drink from every nook and corner of the UK and beyond. Regardless of branding or packaging, each product is judged on a level playing field, according to its texture, appearance, composition and of course taste. Food critics, chefs, restaurateurs, retail buyers, cooks, producers and a host of food writers, journalists and social media influencers are among the 355 esteemed palates to have rigorously blind tasted and judged the 14,113 entries from 108 countries, while providing detailed written feedback for the producer. 

Every Great Taste award-winning product will now be able to display the unmistakable black and gold logo, a stamp of excellence that is recognised by retailers and consumers alike. A wide range of these winning products are already available to buy in delis, farm shops and independent retail outlets across the country.   All Great Taste 3-star award-winning products will be re-judged to find this year’s regional Golden Fork Trophy winners and the Great Taste Supreme Champion 2021. These final results will be announced at the Great Taste Golden Fork Reception on Sunday 17 October, set to be held at the Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate following the first day of Fine Food Show North, a trade-only exhibition organised by the Guild of Fine Food.

Five local companies are showing a range of food products for the developing food-to-go marketplace on the Invest Northern Ireland group stand C75 at Lunch! in ExCel in London from 23-24 September.

On show for buyers to sample will be South African flavoured Boerewors coiled beef sausages, burgers and meatballs; desserts; pies and quiches, oat-based health pots and immune bars, and a range of quality sauces including plant-based alternatives.

Most of the companies is the Invest NI showcase at Lunch! are already active and successful in the UK food-to-go market and several will be launching innovative solutions for operators including cafes and canteens.

Drew McIvor, Invest NI’s Business Development Director in Britain, commenting on the Northern Ireland presentation at Lunch! says: “It’s great to be back at Lunch! again for face-to-face samplings and business meetings.

“Lunch! is a show which has proved successful for many Northern Ireland companies before the Covid-19 pandemic because of the focus of many of our companies, both large and small, of what has become a very dynamic and growing marketplace in the UK and further afield. This sharp focus has also led to the development of original foods by our companies over the year for Lunch!.  And this commitment to original solutions for food-on-the-go continues today in the shape of quality and healthy snacks including on-trend plant-based options,” she adds.

The Northern Ireland companies at Lunch! are:

Davison Puds, Portadown, Co Armagh, a producer of the Simply Puddings range of hot desserts including sticky toffee pudding, bread and butter pudding, fruit based crumbles and jam sponges;

Hellbent, Belfast – a developer of specialist meats for snacking including Boerewors coiled beef, burgers and meatballs using Northern Ireland beef with South African spires;

McColgan’s Quality Foods, Strabane, Co Tyrone, a manufacturer of savoury pastry – pies, quiches, pasties, and sausage rolls

Nuttin’ But, Lisburn, Co Antrim, a developer of healthy oat-based breakfast pots and Immune snack bars in various flavours to support the digestive system; and

Rich Sauces, Newtownards, Co Down, a developer and manufacturer of a wide range of quality sauces for foodservice and new plant-based foods.

Finnebrogue Artisan in Northern Ireland has announces the launch of a “ground-breaking Naked Evolution Burger with Waitrose, Ocado and Dunnes”.

The company, which is based at Downpatrick in county Down, says the Naked Evolution Burger:

• matches ‘Beyond Burger’ in independent blind taste tests – and is 40 per cent cheaper! 
• It has 40% less saturated fat than a standard beef burger. 

“Bursting with chargrilled flavour, this ‘next level’ burger, has all the succulence, texture and ‘beefiness’ you’d expect from a burger: just without the meat!
 
“You’ll find it in the fresh, plant-based section of the supermarket, with rrp £3.00 (two burgers), which is 40% cheaper than the leading plant-based burger brand, Beyond.”

The company says the new Evolution Burger does not compromise on quality, flavour or nutrition.  “In fact, we believe plant-based food should be no more expensive than the meat it is replacing, and without any compromise on quality, flavour or nutrition.

“The Naked Evolution Burger is high in pea protein (17g per burger), has 40 per cent less saturated fat than a traditional beef burger, and is a source of iron, zinc and vitamin B12,” the company says.

The new burger has also been granted an A-grade enviro score by the non-profit organisation Foundation Earth, and it is both soya and gluten-free.

The company continues: “In blind taste tests carried out by experts and the UK’s leading food science and technology centre, Campden, Naked Evolution Burger matched current market leader Beyond. So whether you’re vegetarian, vegan or trying to reduce your meat consumption, Naked Evolution Burgers, ‘do good; with every bite!”

TS Foods in Castlewellan, county Down has been shortlisted for the final stages of the influential Energia Family Business Awards in the Republic of Ireland.

The Northern Ireland company, a leading supplier of branded prepared foods to major supermarkets in the UK and Ireland, is listed in the Producer of the Year category in the annual awards.

TS Foods was established in 1981 by husband and wife team, Tony and Ann Steele. Since then, TS Foods has grown into one of Northern Ireland’s most successful commercial food manufacturers, providing customers with exceptional choice, quality and value. It remains a business owned by the family.

The company initially began as a popular fish and chip shop, where Tony and Ann identified a gap in the market for value added coated products within the local food service sector. They worked together to create their iconic ‘Chip Shop Pastie’ – the first of its kind to be sold to food retailers throughout Northern Ireland – which was met with unprecedented demand nationwide.

Following its huge success, Tony and Ann developed and marketed an entire range under the popular ‘Tony’s Chippy’ range from their purpose built premises in Castlewellan.

In 1983, they pin-pointed another gap in the market and became the first food company in Northern Ireland to sell ready prepared fresh breadcrumb stuffing.

The resilience and adaptability of family run businesses across Ireland during the recent pandemic is to be recognised at this year’s Energia Family Business Awards. The event, which was postponed due to Covid-19, celebrates generations of families who work together. The virtual event will kick off on the 18th of October 2021 with the theme of this year’s awards focusing on ‘resilience through generations’.

The theme of ‘Resilience through generations’ aims to recognise the most adaptable family businesses across the country and those who are helping keep the wider SME sector alive.

Alan Mulcahy, head of sales at Energia, said: “Irish family businesses have experienced unprecedented challenges over the past year. The lifeblood of communities across Ireland, their resilience has been an instrumental part of the broader national effort to combat the impacts of the pandemic.

“Therefore, as we continue what is a hopeful reopening of our society and economy, the timing of these awards is fitting. As a founding supporter of the Family Business Awards, we are delighted to once again be able to celebrate the best of indigenous Irish businesses and wish all the finalists every success.”

The virtual ceremony aims to honour these businesses who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and resilience throughout the Covid-19 pandemic while continuing to thrive and grow.